An overview of the literature, visual arts, and social thought produced in Armenia and its transnational diaspora since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of Armenia’s independence in 1991. The course examines contemporary developments in the arts in the context of the major socio-political changes of the period.

This course covers a generically diverse range of texts (novels, short stories, poems, films, photography, philosophical essays, and academic articles) produced in Armenia and its transnational diaspora since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of Armenia’s independence in 1991. It begins by looking at literary and filmic representations of two major calamities, which continue to have lasting effects on socio-political life in Armenia today: the earthquake of 1988 and the Karabagh War (1988-1994). After gaining an understanding of some of the problems that took root in the “dark and cold days” of Armenia’s early independence, we will turn to another prominent aspect of the contemporary period, namely the increased cultural contact and collaboration between writers and artists in Armenia and those practicing in disparate parts of the world, including Georgia, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Russia, France, Portugal, Canada, and the United States. This second focus will allow us to consider how the arts and culture of the period have dealt with and debated a diverse range of issues, including questions such as: How do fictional representations offer new ways of thinking about cataclysmic events (genocide, war, exile, and displacement) and social problems (corruption, poverty, environmental exploitation, and sex- and gender-based discrimination)? What role do the arts play in political and social justice causes? Or should they even play such a role? And why are some of the formal choices and topics in recent prose and poetry often unacceptable or unintelligible for contemporaneous readers? Our readings and viewings will also necessitate a focus on earlier historical periods as they relate to the present. In the case of cultural practitioners based in Armenia, the need to reflect on the Soviet experience (1921-1991) looms large. In the case of diaspora practitioners, the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), and, more recently, the war in Syria have played a pivotal role in shaping intellectual discourse and artistic sensibilities. Ultimately, we shall see that though very different cultural and historical currents shape each of these traditions, the post-1991 period has brought about collaborations and parallels between Armenia and the diaspora—creating intersections that were unthinkable a few short decades ago.

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Requirements class fulfills